Dive Brief:
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Oregon State University’s College of Engineering will spend $1 million to create what Professional Builder magazine has called “one of the world’s leading facilities for improving safety for construction workers and the general public.”
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The new MDU Resources Group Construction Safety Laboratory will be located in Corvallis, OR, and will include a “virtual construction environment” where students can practice working and driving safely amid simulated dangers.
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“This lab establishes us as the principal national facility for construction and transportation safety research and education,” Scott Ashford, the college’s dean, told the magazine.
Dive Insight:
According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, one in five deaths among U.S. workers across industries occurred in construction.
Work in the lab is designed to prevent injuries to workers once they are on actual job sites.